A chara, – Within the disparity of life expectancy between social classes, there is the reality of disparity between those with and without severe mental illness ("Life expectancy rose in boom years, especially for well-off", February 25th).
People with severe mental illness have a life expectancy of up to 20 per cent less than the general population. In Ireland, this could mean living to an average age of 62 years for males and 66 years for females.
This contrasts with a life expectancy in the poorest areas reported by TASC in 2011, of 73½ years for men and 80 years for women.
While suicide is an important factor, the leading causes of death in people with severe mental illness mirror those of the general population – cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and infections. – Is mise,
MICHAEL NASH,
Assistant Professor of
Mental Health,
School of Nursing
and Midwifery,
Trinity College Dublin,
Dublin 2.
Sir, – You report refers to the recent decrease in death rates particularly among male professionals, managers and the self-employed.
The less satisfactory experience of the less privileged in terms of industrial accidents, poisonings, assault and suicide are underlined, as are digestive diseases and cirrhosis of the liver due to heavy drinking.
No doubt these and other factors do exist which account for the disparity of health and longevity among the different classes but in their entirety they do not compare with the influence of the massive decrease in cigarette smoking which began in the 1980s, particularly among middle-aged men and the better educated. – Yours, etc,
RISTEÁRD MULCAHY,
Dublin 14.
Sir, – So life expectancy actually rose during the boom years? Come back, Bertie, all is forgiven! – Yours, etc,
PATRICIA O’RIORDAN,
Dublin 8.